5 NAIA Individual National Championships
Entering the 2022-23 academic year, Cumberland University had a total of 12 National Titles including 9 individual championships and three team titles. This year, Cumberland added five individual National Champions to that number as Jason Bowers won two, Praise Idamadudu added two more for three in her career, and Goodness Iredia won a title. Each won titles in their Track & Field events while Goodness and Jason are both freshmen.
Jason Bowers
Bowers entered Cumberland as a freshman this year and set the nation on notice immediately in the fall during cross country season. Bowers is the first-ever NAIA All-American in the cross country program with an 11th-place finish at the National Championship. Bowers was named the Mid-South Conference XC Runner of the Year and Freshman of the Year after winning five races and earning four NAIA Runner of the Week honors.
In the spring, Bowers claimed two NAIA National Championships during track and field season, winning the One Mile Indoor National Championship and the 1500m Outdoor National Championship. Bowers helped lead the men's track and field team to two conference titles.
Praise Idamadudu
Cumberland track star Praise Idamadudu claimed two NAIA National Titles and was named the 2023 USTFCCCA NAIA Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year.
Idamadudu, a sophomore from Nigeria, scored 21.5 points in track events at the 2023 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Marion, Indiana. She swept the 200- and 400-meter titles, in addition to anchoring the third-place 4×100 relay. Her prowess was on full display at the Mid-South Conference Outdoor Championships, where she scored 35 points behind individual titles in the 100, 200 and 400, as well as totes on the first-place 4×100 and 4×400 relays. At the end of the regular season, Idamadudu was ranked first or second nationally in three different individual events: 100, 200 and 400.
Praise already has a very decorated career in just two seasons earning nine All-American honors and three individual national titles. She has claimed 10 conference titles and has been Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year and earned MSC Athlete of the Year honors this season. She helped the women’s track & field team to a seventh-place finish at nationals this season, the highest finish in program history. All while collecting numerous Mid-South Conference Track Athlete of the Week awards and numerous NAIA Track Athlete of the Week honors.
Goodness Iredia
Iredia claimed a national title in the long jump at the Outdoor National Championships. Goodness came in and shattered all the school-records in the jumping events earning himself three NAIA All-American honors this season finishing as the Runner-Up in the long jump at the Indoor National Championships and placing in the triple jump.
Goodness was named the 2023 Mid-South Conference Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year and the Freshman of the Year. He claimed five Mid-South Conference Individual Championships this season.
Goodness was the Mid-South Conference Field Athlete of the Week six times and was the NAIA National Field Athlete of the Week one time.
5 Mid-South Conference Championships
Cumberland Athletics had a big year taking four Mid-South Conference Championships. Cumberland Women's Volleyball won their first-ever Mid-South Conference title while Men's Track & Field swept the Indoor and Outdoor Championships, and Women's Golf earned a share of the Regular Season Conference Championship. Cumberland eSports won the Mid-South Conference Overwatch Championship.
Women's Volleyball
Cumberland Women's Volleyball made program history in the Mid-South Conference Tournament claiming a sweep over Campbellsville University to win the title. The win gave the Phoenix their first volleyball championship in the Mid-South Conference since 1997 and sixth in program history.
Cumberland played a challenging schedule going 24-8 and receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 for the first time ever. The Phoenix also earned a bid to the NAIA National Tournament.
Freshman Hazel Konkel was named an AVCA First Team All-Region selection as well as Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year after totaling 274 kills on a fantastic .428 attack percentage while also leading the team in blocks with 109.
Konkel and Harlee Kate Reid were each First Team All-Conference selections while Luciana Arena, Nicole Bott, and Isabella Curcio each earned Second Team honors.
Men's Track & Field
Cumberland Men's Track & Field swept both the Indoor and Outdoor Mid-South Conference Championships earning the first conference titles in the track program's history.
The Phoenix claimed 11 individual conference championships at the Indoor Championships and added 11 more during the Outdoor Championships in Williamsburg.
Cumberland posted their highest finish in school history at the NAIA National Championships finishing in 6th place. The finish was the highest amongst all Cumberland sports this season!
CU notched eight All-Americans this season with four in indoor and four more at the outdoor championships. Bowers earned two in his red banner runs, Iredia added three, Joel Forbes earned two and Jaylen Poole earned his third of his career in the outdoor triple jump.
Women's Golf
Cumberland Women's Golf earned a share of the Regular Season Mid-South Conference Championship. The Phoenix were ranked inside the Top 15 of the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll all season while winning three events this season.
The Phoenix made their sixth-consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championships played at TPC Deere Run this year. Cumberland finished in 17th place at the National Tournament.
Anna Krieger was named a NAIA Third Team All-American and Mid-South Conference Women's Golfer of the Year. She averaged 75.9 shots per round and has been the top finisher in seven events for the Phoenix. Krieger earned four Mid-South Conference Women's Golfer of the Week awards. .
Emma Hermansson and Nathalie Nutu also earned Mid-South Conference First Team honors and Jasmine Sachdev was named a Second Team selection.
eSports
The Cumberland Overwatch team won the Mid-South Conference Championship in Overwatch. The team of Ethan Dykstra, Matthew Reynolds, Dylan Norton, Gage Durham, Logan Wilson, and Preston Olivier went undefeated during the Regular Season and rode that momentum to a conference title.
The Phoenix also claimed the ECAC Call of Duty Championship. The team of Blake Fraley, Ethan Pylant, Eli Zarate, Shaw Niblett, and Ashton Preston captured the title. The team went undefeated in the Regular Season.
Cumberland eSports has now won six championships since they started the program last fall.
11 NAIA National Tournament Appearances
Wrestling
Cumberland Wrestling recorded its third straight Top 10 finish at the NAIA National Championships finishing in ninth place.
The Phoenix added two more All-Americans as Cole Smith finished in third place in the 165-pound weight class and Sammy Shires finished in fifth place in the 133-pound weight class.
The Phoenix finished in second place in both the Mid-South Conference Regular Season and the Mid-South Conference Tournament. The last regular season match went for the Title against Lindsey Wilson with one of the best crowds inside the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena.
The Phoenix added four inidividual conference championships as Smith won his third-consecutive 165 title. Freshman Shires ran through the 133 class. Sophomore and Lebanon local Eli Clemmons won the 157 class and senior Ryan Long won the 174-pound title.
Cumberland sent eight wrestlers to the NAIA National Championships with all, but two set to return in 2023-24.
Baseball
Cumberland Baseball made its first trip to the NAIA National Tournament since 2018 highlighting one of the most explosive offenses in the NAIA. The Phoenix this season hit .330 as a team, clubbed 125 home runs (3rd most in the NAIA), and totaled 553 runs, seventh-most, for 10.6 runs per game average.
Cumberland added two more All-Americans to its prestigious history as Cole Turney was named a First Team NAIA All-American and Tyner Hughes earned Honorable Mention honors.
Turney, a Richmond, Texas native, put together one of, if not, the best offensive campaign for a Cumberland Baseball player. He blasted his way to a new school record in several categories for a single season, cranking 32 home runs in just 45 games, second in the nation. He also led the country in batting average hitting .521 across 140 at-bats, also a new school record. Turney slugged 1.286 to lead the nation and drew 53 walks this season, both new top marks in the program. He also recorded an astronomical .675 on-base percentage to lead the NAIA. The senior also drove in 79 RBIs this season while scoring 77 runs. He was also named a NAIA Ball Lou Brock Player of the Year finalist.
Hughes was an ultra-utility player for Cumberland this season, seeing time at mainly left field and behind the plate, but also playing third base, short stop, and first base for the Phoenix. Hughes' bat was a force this season behind Turney in the lineup hitting .373 with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs.
Six Phoenix earned All-Mid-South Conference Honors led by First Teamers Turney, Hughes, and Dee Triplett. Chewy Sanders was named a Second Team selection and pitchers Trevor Muzzi and Ethan Torres were Honorable Mentions.
Women's Soccer
Cumberland women's soccer made their seventh appearance at the NAIA National Championships and their fourth-consecutive trip.
The Phoenix finished the season 13-5-1 with seven shutouts and four wins over NAIA Top 25 teams. CU was ranked inside the Top 20 in the NAIA Polls all season finishing the year at No. 17. The Phoenix have scored 47 goals in 18 matches with 58 assists, good enough for 12th-best in the NAIA.
Six Phoenix garnered All-Mid-South Conference accolades led by First Teamers Sarah Haddock, Grace Morris, and Marie Bathe. Sabrina Graziano and Gabby Jones were each named to the Second Team and Brenna Swiger earned Honorable Mention honors.
Morris was named the Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. The award is the fifth-straight time a Cumberland University defender has won the award since its inception in 2017. From her center-back position, Morris helped Cumberland to seven shutout wins. The Llandysul, Wales, native added five goals and four assists in 16 games.
Men's Tennis
Cumberland Men's Tennis made their second consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championships. The Phoenix went 19-8 this season playing one of the toughest schedules in the NAIA taking on ranked opponents in 13 matches.
Cumberland finished the year ranked No. 13 in the final Top 25 Polls. CU was ranked inside the Top 15 all-season long being ranked as high as No. 11 in the polls.
Cumberland had five players earn All-Conference honors led by Pavel Kelo and Adrijan Hrzic with First Team honors. German Suarez, Julian Parada, and Daniel Wessels each earned Second Team nods.
Kelo has had a solid freshman campaign earning the second-straight Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year for the Phoenix after Daniel Wessels won the award last season. Kelo also earned First Team honors after posting a 13-13 singles record mainly as Cumberland's No. 1 all season. He also added a 22-8 record with Adrijan Hrzic in doubles this season as the No. 1 doubles duo.
Women's Track & Field
Cumberland Women's Track & Field is hanging two more red banners thanks to Praise Idamadudu, but the future is still bright for this team earning more All-Americans this year than any other year.
The team had its highest finish at the NAIA Outdoor National Championship in program history taking seventh place.
Doris Mensah earned two NAIA All-American honors as well as Blessing Samuel and Alana Mack each earning their first of their career. Daveina Watson earned her second All-American honor in as many years.
Cumberland finished in third at the Mid-South Conference Indoor Championships and took second place at the MSC Outdoor Championships. The women won 15 individual conference championships.
LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Standings
Cumberland Athletics finished 25th in the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Standings. The Phoenix tallied 522.00 points across all NAIA championships. The point total is the most Cumberland has accumulated in an academic year posting more points than last season's 19th-place finish with 515.00 points.
This is the second straight year Cumberland Athletics has finished inside the Top 25 amongst the 250 NAIA member institutions.
Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in 13 sports during their championships. The NAIA must count four sports -- men's and women's basketball, men's soccer, and volleyball -- with the remaining nine coming from any of the remaining championship sports.
2nd Place in Mid-South Conference President's Cup
The runner-up finish is the highest since Cumberland finished in second place in 2012-13. The Phoenix also notched a second-place finish in the Men's All-Sports Standings with 64 points and finished in fourth in the Women's All-Sports Standings at 56 points.
Cumberland finished in second place with two regular Season Conference Championships and one shared title as well.
The points are awarded based on the final regular-season standings for each conference-sanctioned sport. The regular-season champion or event champion -- in the case where there is no regular season -- in each sport receives 10 points with second place receiving nine points, etc. The top seven male and top seven female team finishes for each institution will generate the institution's overall totals. For co-ed sports, points are awarded to the gender that benefits the most by the co-ed score.
Student-Athletes record 3.234 Department GPA
Over 600 student-athletes combined to make the 3.234 GPA, which includes 104 student-athletes achieving a perfect 4.0 marks for the 2022-23 year. An astounding 254 students-athletes accomplished a 3.5 or better GPA. Cumberland had 108 student-Athletes earn NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors this year.
A record 21 athletic teams combined to make up a 3.0 or greater GPA. Cumberland men's tennis had a 3.762 which stood as the highest team GPA. Men's and women's golf, women's volleyball, and women's tennis each have above a 3.5 team GPA.
Baseball, cheer, eSports, football, men's bowling, men's soccer, men's track and field, men's volleyball, men's cross country, softball, women's basketball, women's bowling, women's soccer, women's track and field, wrestling, and women's cross country each posted a 3.0 or better.
Rise Above with Tim Tebow
Two-time national champion, first-round NFL Draft pick, Heisman Trophy winner, and author Tim Tebow spoke to a crowd of over 4,500 peoplat at Nokes-Lasater Field prior to the Homecoming Game on October 8 as a part of the university's Rise Above Speaker series.
Tebow shared his experiences as a professional athlete and a person of faith, emphasizing that what some may perceive as a setback can actually serve as setup for future success -- a concept that interconnects with Cumberland's history for rising from the ashes.
After the main event, Tebow visited with Cumberland student-athletes to answer questions about serving and building a strong team.
Later, Tebow joined Cumberland University Director of Athletics Ron Pavan and Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame inductee George Plaster for a discussion panel in Baird Chapel.
Community Service
Each season, Cumberland Athletics prides itself on giving back to the campus and community. This year was no different with each team working on several community service projects throughout the year counting for over a thousand hours altogether. The men's tennis team earned the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's East Region Community Service Award for their efforts throughout the year to give back to not only the Cumberland campus but to the Wilson County community. This is the third year in a row they won the honor.
Hall of Fame
The Cumberland Sports Hall of Fame welcomed four new members this past fall as Lisa Holloran Johnson, Jake Williams, Matt Greener, and the 2004 Baseball team were each inducted.
Lisa Holloran Johnson
Holloran played volleyball at Cumberland for five seasons from 1993-1997. She earned the starting setter position as a freshman at CU and kept the spot for the duration of her time at CU.
She was an All-Conference selection each of the four seasons she spent on the court. The five-year stretch she was apart of in the 1990s was the best five-year span in school history as the team went 168-47. The 1993 team claimed the TCAC Regular Season and Conference Championship with a 38-5 record.
Hollaran was named Mid-South Conference Player of the Week four times throughout the 1997 season on her way to Mid-South Conference Player of the Year honors and NAIA All-American accolades. She was the first player in Cumberland women's volleyball history to garner All-American accolades.
Matt Greener
Greener left his mark with the Cumberland baseball program after leading the team to an NAIA National Championship in the 2010 season. Greener was named the 2010 NAIA National Player of the Year, TranSouth Conference Player of the Year, and a First-Team All-American. He is the only player in school history to garner NAIA National Player of the Year honors.
He lead the NAIA in home runs (27), hits (116), total bases (225), and runs batted in (101) that season. Those marks still rank amongst the best in program history. His .466 average that season is second best behind just Randy Stegall, 27 homers is tied for second-best behind Donnie Burkhalter, 101 RBI is best in school history and he is second in hits.
The Jupiter, Fla., native collected nine hits in the World Series with one double, two home runs and 10 RBIs, including a grand slam in a 13-7 victory over Point Loma Nazarene on his way to the AVISTA NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team. He put together three double-digit hitting streaks during the year, including a 30-game stretch from March 7-April 16.
Jake Williams
Williams, a Rio Ranch, N.M., native won the program's third and fourth individual National Championship at the 149-weight class. He is a four-time NAIA All-American, and a two-time Mid-South Conference Champion.
Over his career, he collected 107 victories. His sophomore campaign, he finished 30-13 on his way to a sixth-place finish at Nationals. He went on to win the National Title in 2014 upending No. 1 Colby Crank from Bethany College in the championship bout.
Williams successfully defended his national title in 2015 with a 10-5 sudden victory in the first overtime over top-ranked Jake Ekster from Missouri Valley. He is the only wrestler in Cumberland history to win back-to-back national titles.
2004 Cumberland Baseball Team
The 2004 Cumberland baseball team, led by Hall of Famer Woody Hunt, was the first team in school history to win the NAIA National Championship. The squad finished the year 59-21 defeating a 73-3 Oklahoma City team in the National Championship game.
CU got hot at the right time just before the TranSouth Conference Tournament. The team rattled off five wins heading into the conference championship before running the TranSouth Tournament to claim the Championship. The team defeated rival Lee University in the Region XI tournament to clinch their trip to the Super Regionals. Cumberland swept Tennessee Wesleyan for the trip to Lewiston, Idaho.
Cumberland finished the season winning their last 20 ball games. The team included CU Hall of Famer and All-American Chuck McFarlane, World Series MVP Donnie Burhalter, Caleb Barrett, Nick Thompson, Derek Depew, Vladimir Munoz, Chris Torres, Carlos Miranda, Tim Freeman, Phillip Cuadrado, Andrew Davis, Bryant Baines, Preston Potter, Victor Alvarez, Craig Moreland, Alex Gentry, Jared Garshnick, Jared Brown, Kenny Beesting, Josh Underhill, Jake Gray, Manuel Diaz, Andrew Carden, Dana Meyers, Eric Keller, Mark Henry, Chris Parades, Eddie Ortega, Daniel Etheridge, Devin Williams, Ricky Steakin, Mike Minkel, and Josh Van der Weide. The team was coached by Ryan Hunt, Kris Lammers, and Randy Stegall.
Facility Upgrades
Cumberland Athletics has been devoted to giving the Phoenix one of the best small college facilities in the NAIA.
This past season, Cumberland baseball completed its first season on the brand new turf infield giving Cumberland a quality home-field advantage as CU went 22-5-1 at home. It also allowed them to get more practice time on the field and spend less time on maintenance.
The gym received a brand new state-of-the-art videoboard to up the game day experience. The videoboard is used for all men's and women's basketball home games, men's and women's volleyball home games, and wrestling home matches.
Nokes-Lasater Field is being renovated to include a brand new videoboard as well as a complete locker room renovation. This project will be completed in time for the Fall 2023 season.
Cumberland Athletics is always on the look for what is next and what can help our athletes be the best that they can be.
26 NAIA All-Americans
Cumberland Athletics posted the most NAIA All-Americans in one academic season this year with an honor of 26 this season. The previous record was last year with 24 honorees.
- Cole Turney, Baseball
- Tyner Hughes, Baseball
- Jessica Hernandez, Women's Tennis
- Anna Krieger, Women's Golf
- Jason Bowers, Men's Outdoor Track & Field (1500m)
- Goodness Iredia, Men's Outdoor Track & Field (Long Jump)
- Jaylen Poole, Men's Outdoor Track & Field (Triple Jump)
- Joel Forbes, Men's Outdoor Track & Field (800m)
- Praise Idamadudu, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (200m)
- Praise Idamadudu, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (400m)
- Praise Idamadudu, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (4x100m Relay)
- Daveina Watson, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (Shot Put)
- Doris Mensah, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (100m Hurdles)
- Doris Mensah, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (4x100m Relay)
- Alana Mack, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (4x100m Relay)
- Blessing Samuel, Women's Outdoor Track & Field (4x100m Relay)
- Jordan Stephens, Men's Basketball
- Cole Smith, Wrestling
- Sammy Shires, Wrestling
- Jason Bowers, Men's Indoor Track & Field (Mile)
- Goodness Iredia, Men's Indoor Track & Field (Long Jump)
- Goodness Iredia, Men's Indoor Track & Field (Triple Jump)
- Joel Forbes, Men's Indoor Track & Field (600m)
- Praise Idamadudu, Women's Indoor Track & Field (200m)
- Praise Idamadudu, Women's Indoor Track & Field (400m)
- Jason Bowers, Cross Country
Mid-South Conference Players of the Year
The talent is here! Cumberland had seven individuals earn Mid-South Conference Player of the Year honors.
- Grace Morris, Women's Soccer
- Jason Bowers, Men's Cross Country
- Caleb Ginnings, Men's Volleyball
- Goodness Iredia, Men's Indoor Track & Field
- Jason Bowers, Men's Outdoor Track & Field
- Praise Idamadudu, Women's Outdoor Track & Field
- Anna Krieger, Women's Golf
Mid-South Conference Freshmen of the Year
The future is bright!
Cumberland Athletics had seven freshman earn the Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year Award!
- Hazel Konkel, Women's Volleyball
- Jason Bowers, Men's Cross Country
- Goodness Iredia, Men's Indoor Track & Field
- Sammy Shires, Wrestling
- Pavel Kelo, Men's Tennis
- Jason Bowers, Men's Track & Field
- Anna Lay, Softball
64 Mid-South Conference Players of the Week
7 NAIA Players of the Week
Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year
- James Hicks, Wrestling
- Atsu Nyamadi, Men's Indoor Track & Field
- Atsu Nyamadi, Men's Outdoor Track & Field
Mid-South Conference Assistant Coach of the Year
- Anna Kopituk, Women's Tennis
- Judy Seckel, Men's Cross Country
- Tyler Smith, Wrestling
- Cecilia Francis, Men's Indoor Track & Field
- Daniel Beck, Women's Golf
- Juan Diego Medina, Men's Tennis
- Cecilia Francis, Men's Outdoor Track & Field
